Understanding Teenage Depression

Dr. Jorge Galindo is licensed marriage, family, and child therapist who operates a private practice in Irvine, California. Dr. Jorge Galindo works alongside his wife, Dr. Miriam Galindo, while treating issues that range from domestic abuse to depression.

It is quite common for teenagers and adolescents to experience periods of moodiness and angst. Unfortunately, this can make identifying a depressive episode difficult. Studies have shown that heightened levels of agitation are not, in fact, a primary symptom of depression in teens, though any occurrence of anxiety or mood swings that last for multiple weeks should be explored by parents and guardians. Similarly, as they enter their teenage years, children begin to require more sleep, another hallmark of depression in adults. Irregular sleep patterns in teenagers may warrant concern, however, if their school performance begins to suffer or they lose interest in former hobbies.

Though teenage depression appears more commonly in girls than in boys, there is no stereotypical victim of depression. Parents of a gifted athlete or social butterfly should be just as vigilant in identifying troubling behavior as those of a more reserved child. Finally, depression often appears in teenagers as an aspect of a larger issue, such as a general anxiety disorder. The most important thing to remember is that these afflictions can be treated and should not be a source of embarrassment or shame.

Various Types of Bipolar Disorder

Dr. Jorge Galindo, a reserve deputy sheriff with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, has served as a licensed marriage, family, and child therapist in Irvine, California, for nearly 15 years. Dr. Jorge Galindo previously gained experience with bipolar spectrum disorder at Olive Crest Residential Center in Santa Ana and at St. Joseph Hospital of Orange.

Bipolar disorder is a complex psychological illness defined by a variety of symptoms relating to abrupt mood swings and episodes of mania and depression. To further complicate the issue, individuals can be diagnosed with several different forms of bipolar disorder that result in a variety of behaviors. For example, those living with bipolar I disorder has experienced at least one fully manic episode during their lifetime, while those who have been diagnosed with bipolar II or a milder cyclothymic disorder experience alternating highs and lows but never suffer from a truly manic episode.

Some people with a bipolar illness are known to have rapid cycling bipolar disorder, a condition present in 10 to 20 percent of bipolar patients. In this iteration of the disorder, episodes of mania or depression occur at least four times in a single year. Those with mixed bipolar disorder, on the other hand, can experience a depressive manic episode immediately after an occurrence of mania with no down time in between. People with mixed bipolar disorder may even experience episodes of depression and mania at the same time.